Alice
I got this olive tree about a week ago and itās shedding leaves so much - any ideas? The top of the soil is dry but I canāt tell what the bottom is like - I bought another one at the same time and that is fine - any clues ?
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I got this olive tree about a week ago and itās shedding leaves soā¦ | Pests, diseases and problems šŗšø | Planta-Community
18 Kommentare
PierreLike all plants, shedding occurs when itās in a new environment and under new conditions, especially when this old. Sadly might not get back to its former glory since these pretty (trendy?) trees need a lot of light. As for water, pluck your finger deep in it and water if itās dry to touch. Good luck
4 Likes
LearningPlantMomOverwatering or underwatering Or a disease where it hasnāt been receiving the right amount of water. Try checking the roots to see if there is root rot, if not, let the tree soak in a nice shallow container of water to help restore freshness. Try doing this every day for the rest of the week, but only if the roots look healthy.
0 Likes- LearningPlantMom
This is a similar situation to my bonsai tree. I wasnāt watering it enough and it lost almost all its leaves. Then went grey. I let it soak in water for about 20 min every day, there was extra leaf fall after that, but a quick recovery of new green leaves. š
1 Like - Alice
Thank you! Ok sorry for stupid question but how do I know if the roots are healthy ?? Iām totally new to this plant game and love this tree!
1 Like - LearningPlantMom
Thatās totally fine!!! It takes time to learn things about plants and how to care for them ā„ļø For smaller plants, to know if your roots are healthy; you take the plant out of its pot and look at the roots. If they are white or green, they are healthy, but if they are brown, red, or mushy, then they are not healthy. Olive treeās have a way to kinda tell before checking the rootsā¦ if the leaves are turning a sticky yellow or brown, and in a general look of despair, then itās most likely roots rot. If you canāt tell from the leavesā¦ try taking a bunch of soil from deep down in the pot, (but be careful of any roots) and see if that soil is moist. If it is, thatās another sign. Finally, if you still canāt tell, your going to have to try and look at the roots, I donāt know way the best way to look at roots for a tree is, but most likely by taking the tree out of the pot and inspecting the roots. If it is root rot, youāre going to have to do a repot with dry, chalky clay - rich soil.
0 Likes - LearningPlantMom
Plant the tree in terracotta or wood pot with drainage (holes at the bottom for drainage) for a more breathable living space.
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- LearningPlantMom
You can also check if the plant has enough water, or if it doesnāt by taking a chop stick and putting it in the soil, if it comes out clean it is ready to be watered, if it come out dirty, or with soil on it, it doesnāt need to be watered.
0 Likes- Alice
Great idea I will use a chop stick! In the meantime Iāve also found some white fluff which looks kind of like wool??! Should I be concerned? Itās only on a few branches
1 Like - Alice
Chop stick was slight wet right at the bottom so do you think I should re pot ?
1 Like - LearningPlantMom
Try the other suggestion first from the others, also, try soaking the tree in some water too if you want to see if that helpsā¦ if things arenāt getting better, then check the roots.
1 Like - Pierre
Could well be mealybugs, if so, act promptly.
0 Likes
Women are WaterI was thinking about getting one and in my research found that the are similar to fiddle leaf fig trees in that they donāt like to be moved and will quickly drop leaves if disturbed. But they are also resistant so just give it time to adjust to the new environment.
2 Likes- Women are Water
Itās beautiful by the way š
1 Like 
SunnyAn olive tree this size needs full direct sunlight to grow this big. Itās like trying to grow a maple tree inside when itās moved indoors to a low light room. A south or west facing patio or balcony is best. It will keep dropping leaves in a low light room. A good grow light should help. Additionally, they need lots of water that flows through. You donāt wait until the soil is fully dry. You water when the top of soil is dry to the touch. The typical outdoor grown olive tree gets good air circulation that helps to quickly dry the soil. The humidity could be too low indoors. That also causes leaf loss.
2 Likes- Alice
Thank you - itās a bad pic but it is in a bright spot next to a large window in my hallway - we do have underfloor heating though do you think thatās a problem??
0 Likes - Sunny
The tree could be adjusting to heat under the roots especially if the temperature is much higher than its previous environment. Check the temperature at the pot to see if itās in the range recommended for olive trees. The windows in the picture is too far from the tree. These trees need about 6 hours to 8 hours of full sun hitting the leaves.
1 Like - Alice
Ok I think I need to move it then as that side of my house wouldnāt give it that - thank you!!
1 Like
- LearningPlantMom
That is bottom watering, try doing that with your tree, it is possible it could need more water, and bottom watering is such a good method
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